Myeloma Magazine | Spring 2016

Dear Readers, The world of myeloma research is undergoing exciting advances that are changing the landscape of diagnosis and therapeutic interventions. With new drug development, creative combinations of drugs, increased understanding of how the body’s immune system can be harnessed, and the ability to define each patient’s disease at the molecular level, we can now…

Welcome to the inaugural issue of Myeloma, the journal of the Myeloma Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. The goal of Myeloma is to provide timely updates about progress in clinical treatment and research advances, as well as stories and information of general interest. As a world leader in myeloma and related…

Dr. Frits van Rhee visits with a patient prior to his infusion. Innovative translational research has been at the core of the UAMS myeloma program since its inception in 1989. Translational research is research that bridges basic science with developments in clinical care. Breakthroughs in the laboratory are translated rapidly into clinical care applications. Over…

Commitment to excellence… focus on customers… ongoing improvement… ingenuity and resourcefulness… treating others with dignity and respect… nimbly adapting to new developments. These are values that help an organization perform at its best and endure. They have guided Heaven Hill Distilleries throughout its 80-year history and have ensured its success. America’s largest family-owned and operated…

Bone marrow is the spongy tissue inside our bones that produces blood cells — red blood cells, platelets, and white blood cells. White blood cells help the body fight against infection. There are many different types of white blood cells, including lymphocytes, neutrophils, and monocytes. They fight against invading bacteria, viruses or fungi to help…

Monoclonal Antibody Therapy in Multiple Myeloma: Where Do We Stand and Where Are We Going? A new publication in the journal Immunotherapy (monthly peer-reviewed journal covering immunology and immunotherapy) 2016 Mar; 8 (3): 367-84 Primary Author: Sharmilan Thanendrarajan, M.D., Assistant Professor Abstract Multiple myeloma is a plasma cell malignancy that is characterized by refractory and relapsing course…

Aspecialist in molecular immunology and molecular genetics, Brian Walker, Ph.D., left his native United Kingdom (UK) in October 2015 to join the Myeloma Institute as professor of medicine and director of research. As a high school student in Scotland, Walker expected he would pursue a career in mathematics until “a good biology teacher changed all…

Carolina Schinke, M.D., assistant professor at the Myeloma Institute, has been awarded a 2016 UAMS Medical Research Endowment Fund grant. Grants from the Medical Research Endowment Fund provide pilot research funding that has the potential to develop into extramurally funded, scientifically significant research projects. Support is focused on new areas of research for young faculty investigators…

The ability to get up after being knocked down and rise to new heights is an attribute that can help shape our lives and help us cope with life’s challenges. Chuck Cordell knows first-hand the value of this attribute. When struck with adversity, he faced it head on, drew from his inner core to fight…

Harold Dean counsels a patient after treatment. A diagnosis of a cancer like myeloma can be devastating. Fear of the unknown, uncertainty about the future, and concerns about how everyone — patient and loved ones — will be affected can be overwhelming. While doctors and nurses can offer encouragement and information about what to expect,…

Tarun Garg, Ph.D. Dr. Garg earned a Ph.D. in Zoology from Banaras Hindu University in India and completed post-doctoral fellowships in Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences and Multiple Myeloma at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Dr. Garg’s research is focused on developing highly activated expanded natural killer (ENK) cell therapy for high-risk relapsed multiple…